The present invention relates generally to fasteners for assembling two adjacent panels of a box or crate, and retainers for securing the fasteners to the panel. More specifically, the present invention relates to L-shaped fasteners for assembling two adjacent cleated panels or slotted panels, and retainers mounted on the panel or cleat for securing the fasteners to the panel.
The term "box" and the term "crate" will be used interchangeably throughout this document to encompass any structure with at least two panels assembled together. Many types of fasteners can be used to assemble the box or crate. The boxes and crates are also disassembled for more compact storage when they are not being used. Some types of fasteners, such as nails and staples, are damaged during disassembly and are, thus, not reusable for a later assembly. Other types of fasteners, such as those illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 3,082,897 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,154,828 do not sustain damage during disassembly and are, thus, reusable for a later assembly. These reusable fasteners are generally L-shaped with tabs on each end.
The panels of the boxes or crates have either slots milled into the panels or a surrounding frame of four cleats around the peripheral edge of the panels. Two adjacent panels are assembled with the reusable fasteners by hooking one tab of the fastener over the edge of a cleat, or into a milled slot, of one panel, and spanning the joint between the adjacent panels by hooking the other tab over the edge of a cleat, or into a milled slot, of the other panel. The reusable fasteners are locked into place by the action of the two tabs against either the cleats or the inside of the slots. Multiple fasteners are used along the joint between the adjacent panels. When the boxes or crates are disassembled, the reusable fasteners are physically separated from the box or crate. This leads to problems such as misplacing or losing the fasteners, and exposing the fasteners to damage from objects larger than the fasteners. Since the reusable fasteners may be needed to assemble a box or crate at a later time, there is a need to prevent misplacement, loss, and damage of the fasteners.